Stop child abuse


Drug Rehab Q&A: How Do I Keep My Kids Off Alcohol and Drugs?

Alcohol and drugs can be a confusing issuejob.  Keep  it  light,  and  do  it  often.
for kids. Drugs seem pretty cool in the
movies and on TV, and there's alcohol andFor older kids, choose an appropriate moment
drug advertising everywhere: prescription- they don't respond well to "Now we have to
drugs for everything and anything, beerhave a serious talk about drugs." Maybe
commercials, and liquor billboards are allthey're watching TV and there's a reference
over the place. They're even advertised byto drug rehab and Britney Spears or
the beer in your own refrigerator and thealcoholism or substance abuse. Ask if they
pills bottles in your medicine cabinet. Theknow what that's all about, and clear it up.
fact is that parents who set a good exampleAlways explain the family policy - we don't
and educate their kids about the dangers ofdo  that  stuff  because it can make us sick.
alcohol and drugs can play a big part in
keeping their kids free of substance abuseInstead of waiting, create an opportunity.
that  could  lead to the need for drug rehab.Ask, "What about all these pop stars going
into drug rehab?" Present the truth about
The average age a kid first tries alcohol isalcohol and drug abuse, addiction and drug
11, and it's only 12 for marijuana. Andrehab, discuss it all you want, and again,
that's just the average, which means plentyclearly  set  out  the  family  policy.
start experimenting even younger. And kids
needing drug rehab have been as young as 10Role-playing can help kids learn how to avoid
or 12. But research shows that kids are 50being sucked into trying drugs without
percent less likely to use drugs and alcohollooking like a dork to their friends. Get
if their parents teach them about thethem to come up with ways they can tactfully
dangers,  early  and  well.refuse, and act them out with you until
they're comfortable. "No thanks, I don't
How do you get your kids to listen to you?drink beer, I have to stay in shape for
According to surveys, parents who listen tobaseball." or "No thanks, let's (insert a
their children's feelings and concerns, andfavorite  activity)  instead."
don't belittle them, have a better chance of
establishing the kind of relationship neededParents also need to find out about the local
to make kids comfortable about talking todrug scene and be able to tell their kids
them. Kids pay more attention, and parentswhat to expect. For example, learn some of
find it a lot easier to help them staythe terminology and how local kids might get
drug-free.drugs. And teach them that someone who says
what they're offering isn't really a drug is
Choose information that suits a child's ageprobably lying. Always restate the family
and level of development. For a 6-year-old,policy!
look for opportunities to bring up the
subject. Maybe they're washing their hands orAnd if you discover that your kid is trying
brushing their teeth or taking theiralcohol or drugs, find out how far it's gone.
vitamins. You can point out how that's one ofIf it's beyond the early experimentation
the ways we take care of ourselves to staystage, call a drug rehab referral service and
healthy, but there are some things wediscuss it with a professional counselor.
shouldn't do because they're not good for us,They might need to get them into a drug rehab
like smoking or taking medicine you don't getprogram fast before the situation gets even
from mom or dad. Short, simple statementsworse.
that are repeated often enough do a better



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